Biological activities of natural products from microalgae

Abstract

Abstract Microalgae represent a valuable source of protein, increasingly used as food and feed supplements in aquaculture, animal, and human nutrition. In addition to producing high-quality protein from simply light, carbon dioxide, water, and minimal nutrients, microalgae are capable of producing a vast array of bioactive compounds which have been exploited in many applications such as pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, functional food, fertilizer, bioenergy, and bioplastics. These versatile cell factories hold the solutions to many societal problems without compromising the use of agricultural land. This chapter describes the biological activity of important chemical groups such as fatty acids, pigments, and vitamins which all contribute to good health and well-being as well as the deadly natural toxins produced by some microalgae which have been detected in commercial dietary supplements and must be considered in the sustainable production of algal biomass and products.